At memorial, First American’s Donald Kennedy remembered as ‘bigger than life’

April 29, 2012

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 1:17 p.m.

1 of 15

Donald P. Kennedy, pictured in 1951, is credited with transforming a family-run Orange County title company into an international real estate and financial services empire. He remained chairman emeritus of First American Corp. until his death on March 24 at age 93. PHOTO COURTESY OF FIRST AMERICAN CORP., TEXT BY SCOTT MARTINDALE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 15

The mood was celebratory at the memorial service for Donald P. Kennedy, 93. He was said to be a man who hated funerals and had gone to too many of them. Kennedy's granddaughter Jane Healey, 16, hugs her grandmother, Donald's wife, Dorothy. He was the former chairman of First American Corp., a skilled golfer, a hunter, great grandfather and more. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 15

George Trotter, of Corona, gets a big hello from Liz Myers, of San Francisco, at her father's memorial service held at Bowers Museum in Santa Ana on Sunday. Trotter went to school with her brother since the fifth grade. Donald P. Kennedy, former chairman of First American Corp., grew a Santa Ana title company into a global real estate and financial services empire. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 15

Dorothy Kennedy, wife of Donald P. Kennedy, raises her glass in a salute to all who attended her husband's memorial service at Bowers Museum. He was the former chairman of First American Corp. and grew a Santa Ana title company into a global real estate and financial services empire, He was 93. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 15

Donald P. Kennedy image graces his memorial service at Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. Kennedy was the former chairman of First American Corp, and grandson of C.E. Parker, who founded Orange County Title in 1889. Kennedy's wife Dorothy, center, and the crowd recalled his quick wit and relaxed manner. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 15

A crowd of about 400 honor Donald P. Kennedy, former chairman of First American Corp, at his memorial held at Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. Kennedy grew family business into financial powerhouse. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 15

Donald P. Kennedy is survived by his wife of 65 years, Dorothy, pictured in center, his son, Parker; two daughters, Elizabeth Myers and Amy Healey; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Their wedding picture is flashed above. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 15

Donald P. Kennedy, former chairman of First American Corp., was remembered by his son Parker, CEO and chairman, as someone who worried about the big things, not little things like "time." The memorial was held at Bowers Museum in Santa Ana Sunday. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 15

Parker Kennedy, CEO and chairman of First American Corp., hugs long time friend Betty Page, of Tustin, at his dad's memorial. Donald P. Kennedy, former chairman of First American Corp., is survived by his wife of 65 years, Dorothy, pictured center, his son, Parker; two daughters, Elizabeth Myers and Amy Healey; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was 93. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 15

Parker Kennedy, CEO and chairman of First American Corp., facing camera, told the crowd that his dad disliked funerals so the mood on Sunday was celebratory. His dad, Donald P. Kennedy, 93, was the former chairman of First American Corp. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 15

Photos of Donald P. Kennedy, former chairman of First American Corp., are seen throughout his memorial held at Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 15

Liz Myers, of San Francisco, mimics her dad's point. She tells the crowd of 400 about how fun her father, Donald P. Kennedy, was. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 15

Liz Myers, of San Francisco, imitates her dad's gesture when he was given a compliment. She tells the audience that her father, Donald P. Kennedy, former chairman of First American Corp., gave compliments, but couldn't take them. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 15

A crowd of about 400 honor Donald P. Kennedy, former chairman of First American Corp, at his memorial held at Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. Kennedy grew the family business into a financial powerhouse. CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 15

Donald P. Kennedy, pictured in 2009 at age 90 in his office at First American Corp., remained chairman emeritus of the Santa Ana-based title insurance company until his death on March 24. He was 93. FILE PHOTO: CINDY YAMANAKA, TEXT BY SCOTT MARTINDALE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Donald P. Kennedy, pictured in 1951, is credited with transforming a family-run Orange County title company into an international real estate and financial services empire. He remained chairman emeritus of First American Corp. until his death on March 24 at age 93.PHOTO COURTESY OF FIRST AMERICAN CORP., TEXT BY SCOTT MARTINDALE, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

SANTA ANA – He was remembered as a visionary leader, a charismatic businessman with a "unique, off-center take" on life who could poke fun at someone else just as easily as himself.

Donald P. Kennedy, the longtime leader of Santa Ana's First American Corp. title company, possessed a calm, unassuming demeanor that belied his legacy as one of Orange County's great philanthropists, family and friends said Sunday at a celebration of his life at Santa Ana's Bowers Museum of Cultural Art. Kennedy died March 24 at age 93.

"What he did with that business can only be described in one word – monumental," said longtime friend Sandy Tatum, who met Kennedy in college at Stanford. "Orange County is a misnomer. It ought to be Kennedy County."

Kennedy, a Santa Ana resident for most of his life, parlayed his remarkable successes at the helm of his family's title insurance company into a variety of philanthropic endeavors, all designed to boost Orange County's reputation in education and the arts, family members said.

He was a past chairman of the Orange County Business Committee for the Arts, a board member for South Coast Repertory and a key supporter of the law school at Chapman University in Orange.

A hall at Chapman's law school is named after him, as is a wing at the Bowers Museum, where he was a past board chairman.

Sunday's memorial services were attended by about 400 family, friends and colleagues, who gathered in a cavernous, sunlight-filled museum wing that – appropriately enough – bears his name and that of his wife of 66 years.

The $16 million Dorothy and Donald Kennedy Wing, which opened in 2007, added 30,000 square feet of exhibit space, doubling Bowers' size.

"He was just bigger than life," said Paul Johnson, the Bowers Museum's vice president of exhibit design and installation. "He brought in the architects, he purchased (adjacent) land for our north parking lot, he covered the entire financial operation."

Kennedy, who joined his family's Orange County Title Company in 1948, extended its client base far beyond the county's borders.

During his six decades at the helm, the company – which he renamed First American – grew from one generating less than $1 million in annual revenue to an international behemoth with $8 billion in earnings, said his son, Parker Kennedy.

Donald Kennedy took a hands-off approach to his management style, delegating effectively and instructing his managers to run the company "as if it were their own," his son said.

As for hiring, Kennedy's advice was: "Don't hire anyone you wouldn't have over to your house for dinner," Parker Kennedy said.

"He could have written a great management book, but of course he thought management books were ridiculous," Parker Kennedy said.

Kennedy and his wife dined out almost every night. Their favorite restaurant was Quinn's, an American-Irish restaurant in downtown Tustin.

Kennedy, who always sat in a booth at the back of the restaurant, enjoyed watching sports on a TV across the room, but had a hard time seeing it from his vantage point, said Quinn's owner John Moore.

So he started bringing in binoculars, Moore said.

Eventually, Kennedy told Moore he'd like to buy a TV for the restaurant. Moore protested, saying he could buy it himself, but Kennedy insisted.

"He said, 'If it costs less than the wing at Chapman law school, then go ahead and order it – and it's on me,'" Moore said.

On Sunday, Kennedy's children shared some of their father's sometimes embarrassing, but always hilarious attributes.

Never one to be on time, Kennedy once was so rushed driving to the airport to catch a flight that he called his secretary later to ask that she check up on his car. He couldn't remember what he had done with it, Parker Kennedy said.

"It was parked in front of the departure area, door open, key in ignition, engine running," Parker Kennedy said to laughs.

His older daughter, Elizabeth Kennedy Myers, recalled a time when she was a teenager driving with her father to a country club to play golf. When he arrived at his destination, he handed the keys to her and said, "Pick me up at 3," Myers recalled.

"I said, 'Dad, I don't have a license. I don't know how to drive,'" Myers said. "He said, 'Sure, you do.' I did it. It was thrilling and horrifying. ... It was one of those things you weren't supposed to tell anyone."

Then, turning to her mother, Dorothy, in the audience, Myers added: "So Mom, now you know."

Related Links

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.